A wedge of sharp cheddar melts into a silky sauce over buttered toast. This is the fastest way to make that small amount of cheese feed two people and feel like supper, not scraps.

Serves 2. 12 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 510 calories a serving, 18 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 wedge, thumb-sized (about 2 ounces [55 grams]) cheddar half, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 small, minced onion, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 3/4 cup milk, 4 slices bread.

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 small minced onion, and cook until soft, about three minutes. While the onion cooks, toast 4 slices of bread to golden brown.3 min
2. Scatter 1 tablespoon of flour over the onion, stir well, and cook for one minute to remove the raw flour taste.1 min
3. Pour in 3/4 cup of milk, whisking as you go to break up any lumps, and cook until the sauce thickens, about two minutes.2 min
4. Chop the wedge of cheddar into small pieces and add it to the sauce, stirring until the cheese melts completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.2 min
5. Divide the hot toast between two plates and pour the cheese sauce over each. Serve right away.

Note Swap the onion for 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne if you want heat. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for two days; reheat gently with a splash of milk on the stovetop. Serve with a sharp salad or pickled vegetables on the side to cut the richness.

A quarter block of sharp cheddar melts into a silky sauce for pasta, finished with a crack of pepper. This is as fast and straightforward as weeknight cooking gets, and you'll empty that cheddar tonight.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 860 calories a serving, 33 g protein, 98 g carbohydrate, 36 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need quarter block [about 115g] cheddar half, 8 ounces pasta, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon flour, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 1 cup whole milk.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 ounces of pasta until just tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before you drain it.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour, and cook stirring for 1 minute until it smells toasted. Pour in 1 cup of milk while whisking to smooth out any lumps, then keep stirring until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.3 min
3. Grate the quarter block of cheddar half directly into the hot sauce and stir until it melts completely, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce seems thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
4. Toss the drained pasta with the cheddar sauce, adding more pasta water if you need it to reach the consistency you like. Divide between two bowls and finish each with a grind of black pepper.

Note Swap in gruyere or any cheese that melts smooth. The sauce keeps three days covered in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of milk. Serve with a simple green salad or steamed broccoli on the side, or stretch this with a can of white beans stirred in at the end.

Cheddar melts into eggy richness while toast soaks up the butter and cheese. This shelf has one job, and it does it well: turning half a fridge of cheese into dinner for two tired people.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 670 calories a serving, 30 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 47 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 cup grated [115g] cheddar, 3 tablespoons butter, 4 eggs, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 4 slices bread.

1. Heat your oven to 400°F [200°C]. Butter 4 slices of bread on both sides with 2 tablespoons of butter and lay them in a baking dish in two overlapping layers.
2. Whisk 4 eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper, then pour over the bread until it soaks in halfway.
3. Scatter 1 cup of grated cheddar over the eggs and bread, then dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
4. Bake until the eggs are set but still slightly jiggly in the center and the cheese browns at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.11 min

Note Swap cheddar for any hard cheese. Keeps covered in the fridge two days; reheat gently. Serve with a simple green salad or pickled vegetables to cut through the richness.